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Grammatical Analysis
Issā: [f.] envy; jealousy. Derived from root īrs (to envy, be displeased). Signifies a state of hostile dissatisfaction regarding the prosperity of another.
Orthodox Definition
In the Abhidhamma, Issā is a highly toxic, unwholesome mental factor (akusala-cetasika). It is structurally rooted exclusively in hatred/aversion (dosa-cetasika) and therefore only ever arises accompanied by mentally painful feeling (domanassa).
The Atthasālinī outlines its specific parameters:
- Lakkhaṇa (Characteristic): Being envious of others’ success (parasampattīnaṃ usūyana-lakkhaṇā).
- Rasa (Function): Being dissatisfied with the wealth, beauty, or achievements of others (tattha anabhirati-rasā).
- Paccupaṭṭhāna (Manifestation): Averting one’s face from others’ success (vimukhabhāva-paccupaṭṭhānā).
- Padaṭṭhāna (Proximate Cause): The prosperity of others (parasampatti-padaṭṭhānā).
Envy operates as a minor defilement (upakkilesa) that severely constricts the heart, burning the mind of the envious person long before it ever affects the target. It is the direct psychological antithesis to the divine abode of Sympathetic Joy (Muditā), and is permanently eradicated by the path of the Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna).
Quote
486. Issāyanā issā.
- Issā is being envious.
Sā parasampattīnaṃ usūyanalakkhaṇā.
It has the characteristic of being envious of others’ prosperity.Tattheva anabhiratirasā, tato vimukhabhāvapaccupaṭṭhānā, parasampattipadaṭṭhānā, saṃyojananti daṭṭhabbā.
Its function is displeasure at them, its manifestation is turning away from them, its proximate cause is others’ prosperity, and it should be regarded as a fetter.-visuddhimaggo (du)
Textual References
- Sutta: Sakka-pañha Sutta (DN 21) – Where Sakka asks the Buddha what fetters beings so that they live in hostility, and the Buddha explicitly identifies envy (issā) and stinginess (macchariya) as the roots of conflict.
- Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī (Definition within the hatred-group).
- Commentary: Atthasālinī – Explaining how envy causes the mind to recoil violently from the good fortune of others.